The Big 12 is preparing to unveil a massive multiyear sponsorship agreement with Monster Energy, a deal worth approximately $20 million annually that will introduce co-branded jersey patches and field logos to the conference's football and basketball programs. According to reporting by Sports Business Journal, the agreement establishes Monster Energy as the 'entitlement partner' for the regular seasons of Big 12 football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball.
New Branding and Revenue Streams
The sweeping agreement will officially rename major conference athletic events, with the regular seasons to be dubbed 'Monster Energy Big 12 Football' and 'Monster Energy Big 12 Basketball.' The deal includes a co-branded Big 12/Monster jersey patch that student-athletes will wear during football and both men’s and women’s basketball games. Additionally, the partnership features co-branded logos that will be integrated into playing surfaces on fields and courts.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark planned to officially announce the deal on Tuesday during his annual address at the league's football media days in Texas. While Monster Energy will cover the specific costs associated with installing the new field and court logos, league sources indicated that these expenses will not reduce the annual distributions paid out to member schools. Each school is expected to receive approximately $1 million annually as part of this arrangement.
Established Professional Ties
The partnership builds upon a relationship that began when Monster became the official energy drink of the Big 12 in late 2025. The expansion into this broader commercial role was driven by existing professional ties between Commissioner Yormark and Monster Chief Partnerships Officer Mitch Covington, who previously worked together during Yormark's tenure at Roc Nation.
'We’ve already got a built-in trust because we’ve done business in the past and pretty much throughout Brett’s career,' Covington told Sports Business Journal. He noted that this established rapport made the decision to expand the partnership significantly easier for Monster.
Exclusivity and Contractual Conflicts
The agreement introduces new complexities regarding exclusivity within the conference. While the deal does not prevent individual Big 12 schools from selling their own commercial jersey patches, Monster Energy holds exclusive rights within the energy drink category. This means member institutions are prohibited from selling patches to competitors such as Red Bull.
Furthermore, the deal may create friction with existing 'pouring rights' agreements held by various schools. Approximately half of the Big 12’s 16 members—including Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, and TCU—currently hold contracts with Pepsi. Because Monster Energy is partially owned by Coca-Cola, any required activations under the new conference agreement could potentially conflict with those established exclusivity clauses.
Impact on Multimedia Rights Partners
The move toward centralized conference-level sponsorship has sparked debate among multimedia rights partners. Companies such as Learfield, Playfly Sports, and JMI Sports have traditionally viewed jersey patches and field logos as assets under their jurisdiction. Playfly CEO Craig Sloan expressed concern to Sports Business Journal that the consolidation of these rights could devalue future bids for school-specific marketing rights.
'I don’t think the individual schools win in that case,' Sloan said, suggesting that such consolidation might negatively impact the value of the inventory being purchased by rights holders. Learfield, which previously managed Big 12 corporate sponsorships before Yormark moved those efforts in-scale in 2023, issued a statement noting their understanding that the deal serves as a naming rights sponsorship that replaces the existing conference patch on jerseys.
Conference Financial Expansion
The Monster Energy deal follows other aggressive financial maneuvers by the Big 12 under Yormark’s leadership. In April, the conference secured a deal with RedBird Capital that provided $12.5 million in capital to drive commercial growth, alongside a one-year window for schools to access a $30 million credit line. The conference has also established major partnerships with brands including Allstate, PayPal, and Edward Jones.
While the Big 12 previously explored a full naming rights deal with Allstate, that effort did not materialize. This new agreement allows the league to integrate a major sponsor into its primary branding without the more drastic changes required by a total conference name change.
Future Outlook
As the College Football Playoff continues to develop its own commercial patch policies, there is an expectation that schools may eventually carry these regular-season sponsorship patches into postseason play. For now, Monster Energy is set to maintain a high profile as the naming rights sponsor for the Big 12 Football Media Days beginning this Tuesday.
